Stable staffs in the UK are campaigning to phase out a mucking out system that leaves them covered in manure. The use of “muck sacks” where stable workers pile soiled bedding on a flat sheet so it can be bundled up and carried to a muck heap is still common in some training yards.
The use of muck sacks is not only unpleasant, but can also result in back injuries since the heavy, leaking sacks are thrown over the shoulder and carried a distance to the muck heap. Although some stable workers buy their own wheel barrows, many cannot afford to and the practice continues in many yards.
Many grooms and stable workers eventually have to quit their jobs because of bad backs and the British Grooms Association along with the National Association of Stable Staff are calling for an end to the practice.